ST10XME or STL4020 for 12.5" RCOS?

What would you recommend? This is to use with an RCOS 12.5".

I can't stretch to an STL11000 before anyone recommends one.

Since the two subject cameras are about the same price, it's the old trade-offs now. FOV vs QE and sensitivity.

My main imaging aims are nebulae in both RGB, Ha and narrowband, followed by galaxies and globulars.

The ST10XME seems to have a good QE at Ha, and the STL4020 a poor one. But conversely I can achieve a much bigger FOV with the STL.

Conversely, I already have a CFW8 and an AO-7.

Decisions decisions...

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Jess.

Jess,

Will you be imaging from a dark site?

There seems to be no easy answer for this. The advanced imagers seem to end up preferring the ABG of the STL-11K, though they also tend to shoot from dark sites. They compensate for the lower QE with longer subexposures. This combo (dark skies and long exposures with no worries about blooming) overrides the sensitivity of the NABG cameras.

Other than that, and given your choice of targets (plus your existing equipment list), I would lean towards the ST-10XME. Even more so if you will be doing the bulk of your imaging from a light-polluted site. I have tended to lean in favor of NABG cameras myself (though I wouldn't mind having an ABG for those bright objects that I've avoided because I don't want to deal with blooms).

YMMV, and HTH
Eric

There appears to be three significant differences between the two cameras:
---ABG vs. NABG
---Full well capacity
---QE
The chip width is virtually the same between the two cameras, so the FOV will only be slightly larger with the STL.
Since your main imaging aim is nebulae, I would give the edge to the ST10 with its bigger well and better QE.
You haven't said what your mount is, but you may want to use an AO-7 with this setup, and the new AO-7 for the STL's still hasn't hit the streets.
The intergrated filter wheel for the STL is nice, but only has 5 postions at the present time. An extra wheel outfitted with narrowband filters would have to be exchanged for the LRGBHa wheel when you wanted to do narrowband. Conversely, a 10 position wheel is currently available for the ST10.
The difference in price between 1.25" filters for the ST10 and the 48-50mm filters for the STL is not inconsiderable.
I don't think there's a wrong decision here. I think you'll be happy with either camera, Jess.
For the record, I'm using an ST10XME on an RCOS 12.5" and an STL on a widefield refractor. That seems to work the best for me, as most of the nebulae I go after are large and the ABG is appreciated with the long exposures there.

dan kowall
photonhunter.com